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BACKGROUND: Unsupervised machine learning describes a collection of powerful techniques that seek to identify hidden patterns in unlabeled data. These techniques can be broadly categorized into dimension reduction, which transforms and combines the original set of measurements to simplify data, and cluster analysis, which seeks to group subjects based on some measure of similarity. Unsupervised machine learning can be used to explore alternative subtyping of disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) compared to the existing gastrointestinal symptom-based definitions of Rome IV. PURPOSE: This present review aims to familiarize the reader with fundamental concepts of unsupervised machine learning using accessible definitions and provide a critical summary of their application to the evaluation of DGBI subtyping. By considering the overlap between Rome IV clinical definitions and identified clusters, along with clinical and physiological insights, this paper speculates on the possible implications for DGBI. Also considered are algorithmic developments in the unsupervised machine learning community that may help leverage increasingly available omics data to explore biologically informed definitions. Unsupervised machine learning challenges the modern subtyping of DGBI and, with the necessary clinical validation, has the potential to enhance future iterations of the Rome criteria to identify more homogeneous, diagnosable, and treatable patient populations.
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The introduction of solid foods to infants, also known as weaning, is a critical point for the development of the complex microbial community inhabiting the human colon, impacting host physiology in infancy and later in life. This research investigated in silico the impact of food-breastmilk combinations on growth and metabolite production by colonic microbes of New Zealand weaning infants using the metagenome-scale metabolic model named Microbial Community. Eighty-nine foods were individually combined with breastmilk, and the 12 combinations with the strongest influence on the microbial production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) were identified. Fiber-rich and polyphenol-rich foods, like pumpkin and blackcurrant, resulted in the greatest increase in predicted fluxes of total SCFAs and individual fluxes of propionate and acetate when combined, respectively, with breastmilk. Identified foods were further combined with other foods and breastmilk, resulting in 66 multiple food-breastmilk combinations. These combinations altered in silico the impact of individual foods on the microbial production of SCFAs and BCFAs, suggesting that the interaction between the dietary compounds composing a meal is the key factor influencing colonic microbes. Blackcurrant combined with other foods and breastmilk promoted the greatest increase in the production of acetate and total SCFAs, while pork combined with other foods and breastmilk decreased the production of total BCFAs.IMPORTANCELittle is known about the influence of complementary foods on the colonic microbiome of weaning infants. Traditional in vitro and in vivo microbiome methods are limited by their resource-consuming concerns. Modeling approaches represent a promising complementary tool to provide insights into the behavior of microbial communities. This study evaluated how foods combined with other foods and human milk affect the production of short-chain fatty acids and branched-chain fatty acids by colonic microbes of weaning infants using a rapid and inexpensive in silico approach. Foods and food combinations identified here are candidates for future experimental investigations, helping to fill a crucial knowledge gap in infant nutrition.
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BACKGROUND: Absorption of tryptophan (TRP) across the gut epithelium is potentially modulated by competing large neutral amino acids (LNAAs), which could affect the appearance of TRP and its metabolites in the bloodstream. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine, in a growing pig model of an adult human, the absorption of TRP and other LNAAs from the gastrointestinal tract, and plasma appearance of TRP, LNAAs, and TRP metabolites, in response to dietary proteins varying in TRP content. METHODS: Pigs were adapted for 7 d to each of 4 diets that differed in their protein source and TRP content: 1) alpha-lactalbumin (AL; 9.95 mg TRP/g diet DM), 2) whey protein (6.59 mg TRP/g), 3) casein (3.73 mg TRP/g), or 4) zein (0.14 mg TRP/g). On day 8, pigs were euthanised after a 12-h fast (baseline), or 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 h after they received a test meal consisting of 45 g protein, or a protein-free meal (n = 6 pigs at each time in each meal group). Tryptophan and LNAA absorption from the small intestine, and appearance of TRP, LNAAs, and TRP metabolites (melatonin, serotonin, kynurenine pathway metabolites), in the portal vein and systemic circulation, were determined. RESULTS: AL intake resulted in sustained elevated plasma TRP concentrations after an overnight fast. The amount of TRP absorbed was dose-dependently related to protein TRP content (P = 0.028), with fastest rates for pigs fed AL (371 mg/h). Portal and systemic plasma TRP, TRP/LNAA, and the TRP metabolites were highest (P ≤ 0.05) after AL intake, and remained above baseline levels for â¼4 h postprandially. Absorption rates of TRP correlated with postprandial plasma TRP and TRP metabolites (P ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In adult humans, postprandial plasma TRP and TRP metabolite concentrations can likely be modulated by the TRP content of the meal.
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Individuals living in rural areas often face challenges in accessing healthcare, increasing their risk of poor health outcomes. Farmers, a sub-population in rural areas, are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues and suicide, yet they exhibit low rates of help-seeking behavior. The aim of our study was to develop an in-depth understanding of the issues influencing mental help-seeking among farmers living in rural areas from the perspectives of healthcare providers, as well as to explore the strategies providers use to navigate through these issues to effectively engage with this vulnerable population. METHODS: We used a descriptive phenomenological approach to understand healthcare providers' perspectives, experiences, and approaches to providing mental healthcare to farmer clients in rural areas. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 participants practicing in Canada between March and May 2023. RESULTS: Our analysis yielded five thematic areas: (1) ensuring accessibility, (2) establishing relatability, (3) addressing stoicism and stigma, (4) navigating dual roles, and (5) understanding community trauma. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare service delivery for farmers is multifaceted. This study fills a gap in knowledge by translating these data to inform an evidence-based model and a list of recommendations for implementing agriculturally informed practices in rural areas.
Subject(s)
Farmers , Mental Health Services , Qualitative Research , Rural Population , Humans , Mental Health Services/organization & administration , Farmers/psychology , Canada , Female , Male , Health Personnel/psychology , Adult , Middle Aged , Agriculture , Health Services AccessibilityABSTRACT
The global dairy market has been increasingly diversified with more dairy product offerings of milk products from different animal species. Meanwhile, milk powders remain the main exported dairy product format due to their ease of transportation. In this work, we studied the structural changes, protein hydrolysis and nutrient delivery during dynamic gastric digestion and small intestinal digestion of cow, goat and sheep milk reconstituted from commercial whole milk powders. The results show that the reconstituted milks digest similarly to processed fresh milk. The digestion behaviors of the three reconstituted ruminant milks are broadly similar (gastric coagulation, kinetics of gastric emptying of protein and fat and the high digestibility in the small intestine) with some differences, which are likely contributed by the processing history of the milk powders. The delivery of individual amino acids to the small intestine differed between the early and late stages of gastric digestion, which were primarily affected by the abundance of amino acids in caseins and whey proteins but also by the difference between milk types associated with their gastric coagulation behaviors. This work showed that powdered milk is similar to fresh processed milk in digestion behavior, and the inherent differences between ruminant milks can be modified by processing treatments.
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The microbiota-gut-brain axis is a promising target to alleviate the growing burden of neurologic and mental health disorders. Dietary polyphenols act on multiple components of the microbiota-gut-brain axis, but this complex relationship requires further attention. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial (ACTRN12622000850774) compared 4 wk of a commercially available flavonoid-rich blackcurrant beverage (FBB; 151 mg anthocyanins, 308 mg total polyphenols) with placebo in 40 healthy females (18-45 y). The primary outcome of stress reactivity was assessed by change in present feelings of stress, mood, and fatigue before and after completing a 20-min cognitive stressor [Purple multitasking framework (MTF)]. Secondary end points included cognitive performance (MTF), mood [profile of mood states (POMS)], sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), fecal microbiome composition and functional potential (shotgun sequencing), and blood biomarker concentrations (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, tryptophan, kynurenine, and interleukin 6). Statistical analyses were conducted on an intention-to-treat basis using linear mixed-effect models. Thirty-eight participants completed both intervention arms. There was no significant treatment effect on the primary outcome of stress reactivity. Compared with placebo, working memory (letter retrieval scores from MTF), and anxiety/tension and anger/hostility domains of the POMS improved with FBB supplementation (time × intervention interaction; P < 0.05). There were no treatment effects on gut microbiome composition or functional potential. Baseline abundances of Bifidobacterium genera and species (Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium bifidum) tended to be higher in participants with the greatest improvements in letter retrieval scores with FBB supplementation (nominally significant, P < 0.05). In conclusion, 4-wk FBB supplementation improved secondary outcomes of working memory performance during multitasking and mood outcomes in healthy adult females. These results should be confirmed in a larger cohort with a longer duration of follow-up.
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Ruminant milk composition can be affected by many factors, primarily interspecies differences, but also environmental factors (e.g., season, feeding system, and feed composition). Pasture-based feeding systems are known to be influenced by seasonal effects on grass composition. Spring pasture is rich in protein and low in fiber compared with late-season pasture, potentially inducing variability in the composition of some milk metabolites across the season. This study aimed to investigate interspecies and seasonal differences in the milk metabolome across the 3 major commercial ruminant milk species from factories in New Zealand: bovine, caprine, and ovine milk. Samples of bovine (n = 41) and caprine (n = 44) raw milk were collected monthly for a period of 9 mo (August 2016-April 2017), and ovine milk samples (n = 20) were collected for a period of 5 mo (August 2016-January 2017). Milk samples were subjected to biphasic extraction, and untargeted metabolite profiling was performed using 2 separate liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry analytical methods (polar metabolites and lipids). Major differences in the milk metabolome were observed between the 3 ruminant species, with 414 of 587 (71%) polar metabolite features and 210 of 233 (87%) lipid features being significantly different between species. Significant seasonal trends were observed in the polar metabolite fraction for bovine, caprine, and ovine milk (17, 24, and 32 metabolites, respectively), suggesting that the polar metabolite relative intensities of ovine and caprine milk were more susceptible to changes within seasons than bovine milk. We found no significant seasonal difference for the triglycerides (TG) species measured in bovine milk, whereas 3 and 52 TG species changed in caprine and ovine milk, respectively, across the seasons. In addition, 4 phosphatidylcholines and 2 phosphatidylethanolamines varied in caprine milk within the season, and 8 diglycerides varied in ovine milk. The interspecies and seasonal metabolite differences reported here provide a knowledge base of components potentially linked to milk physiochemical properties, and potential health benefits of New Zealand pasture-fed dairy ingredients.
Subject(s)
Goats , Metabolomics , Milk , Seasons , Animals , Milk/chemistry , Milk/metabolism , Sheep/metabolism , Cattle , Goats/metabolism , Female , New Zealand , Ruminants/metabolism , MetabolomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Bovine milk processing influences the structure of the curd formed during gastric digestion, which may alter gastric protein hydrolysis and impact amino acid (AA) release into the small intestine. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the influence of heat treatment and homogenization on the gastric protein digestion and AA emptying of bovine milk. METHODS: Nine-wk-old pigs (n = 144) consumed either raw, pasteurized nonhomogenized (PNH), pasteurized homogenized (PH), or ultra-high-temperature homogenized (UHT) bovine milk for 10 d. On day 11, fasted pigs received the milk treatment (500 mL) before gastric contents were collected at 0, 20, 60, 120, 180, and 300 min postprandially. The apparent degree of gastric protein hydrolysis (based on the release of free amino groups), apparent gastric disappearance of individual proteins [based on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) gel band intensity], and the gastric emptying of digested protein and AA were determined. RESULTS: During the first 60 min, the rate of apparent gastric protein hydrolysis was fastest in pigs fed UHT milk (0.29%/min compared with on average 0.07%/min in pigs fed raw, PNH, and PH milk). Differences in the apparent degree of gastric protein hydrolysis and emptying were reflected in the rate of digested protein entering the small intestine. The AA gastric emptying half-time was generally shorter in pigs fed PH and UHT milk than in pigs fed raw and PNH milk. For example, the gastric release of total essential AA was >2-fold faster (P < 0.01) in pigs fed PH or UHT milk than that in pigs fed raw or PNH milk (i.e., homogenized compared with nonhomogenized milk). CONCLUSIONS: Heat treatment and homogenization increased the apparent gastric degree of protein hydrolysis and the release of digested protein into the small intestine. However, the rate of AA entering the small intestine was mainly increased by homogenization.
Subject(s)
Digestion , Gastric Emptying , Hot Temperature , Milk Proteins , Animals , Digestion/physiology , Swine , Milk Proteins/metabolism , Milk Proteins/chemistry , Humans , Cattle , Food Handling/methods , Amino Acids/metabolism , Milk/chemistry , Hydrolysis , PasteurizationABSTRACT
Modification of dairy proteins during processing impacts structural assemblies, influencing textural and nutritional properties of dairy products, and release and availability of amino acids during digestion. By modifying only pH, acid heat-set bovine dairy gels with divergent textural properties were developed to alter protein digestion. In vitro assay confirmed faster digestion of protein from a firm gel (pH 5.65) versus a soft gel (pH 6.55). We hypothesised that firm gel (FIRM-G; pH 5.6) would result in greater indispensable amino acid (IAA) appearance in circulation over 5 h and corresponding differences in gastric myoelectrical activity relative to soft gel (SOFT-G; pH 6.2). In a randomised, single-blind cross-over trial, healthy females (n = 20) consumed 150 g of each gel; plasma amino acid appearance was assessed over 5 hours. Iso-nitrogenous, iso-caloric gels were prepared from identical mixtures of bovine milk and whey protein concentrates; providing 17.7 g (FIRM-G) and 18.9 g (SOFT-G) of protein per serving. Secondary outcomes included gastric myoelectrical activity measured by body surface gastric mapping, glycaemic, triglyceridaemic, and subjective appetite and digestive responses. Overall plasma IAA (area under the curve) did not differ between gels. However, plasma IAA concentrations were higher, and increased more rapidly over time after SOFT-G compared with FIRM-G (1455 ± 53 versus 1350 ± 62 µmol L-1 at 30 min, p = 0.024). Similarly, total, branched-chain and dispensable amino acids were higher at 30 min with SOFT-G than FIRM-G (total: 3939 ± 97 versus 3702 ± 127 µmol L-1, p = 0.014; branched-chain: 677 ± 30 versus 619 ± 34 µmol L-1, p = 0.047; dispensable: 2334 ± 53 versus 2210 ± 76 µmol L-1, p = 0.032). All other measured parameters were similar between gels. Peak postprandial aminoacidaemia was higher and faster following ingestion of SOFT-G. Customised plasma amino acid appearance from dairy is achievable by altering gel coagulum structure using pH during processing and may have minimal influence on related postprandial responses, with implications for targeting food design for optimal health. The Clinical Trial Registry number is ACTRN12622001418763 (https://www.anzctr.org.au) registered November 7, 2022.
Subject(s)
Amino Acids , Cross-Over Studies , Gels , Female , Humans , Adult , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Amino Acids/blood , Amino Acids/chemistry , Gels/chemistry , Animals , Young Adult , Cattle , Digestion , Hot Temperature , Milk Proteins/chemistry , Single-Blind Method , Stomach/physiology , Stomach/chemistry , Milk/chemistryABSTRACT
Kiwifruit (KF) has shown neuroprotective potential in cell-based and rodent models by augmenting the capacity of endogenous antioxidant systems. This study aimed to determine whether KF consumption modulates the antioxidant capacity of plasma and brain tissue in growing pigs. Eighteen male pigs were divided equally into three groups: (1) bread, (2) bread + Actinidia deliciosa cv. 'Hayward' (green-fleshed), and (3) bread + A. chinensis cv. 'Hort16A' (yellow-fleshed). Following consumption of the diets for eight days, plasma and brain tissue (brain stem, corpus striatum, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex) were collected and measured for biomarkers of antioxidant capacity, enzyme activity, and protein expression assessments. Green KF significantly increased ferric-reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) in plasma and all brain regions compared with the bread-only diet. Gold KF increased plasma ascorbate concentration and trended towards reducing acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain compared with the bread-only diet. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between FRAP in the brain stem, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus with the total polyphenol concentration of dietary interventions. These findings provide exploratory evidence for the benefits of KF constituents in augmenting the brain's antioxidant capacity that may support neurological homeostasis during oxidative stress.
Subject(s)
Actinidia , Antioxidants , Fruit , Neuroprotective Agents , Animals , Actinidia/chemistry , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Antioxidants/metabolism , Male , Fruit/chemistry , Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology , Swine , Brain/metabolism , Brain/drug effects , Humans , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Diet , Bread , Polyphenols/pharmacology , Models, Animal , Ascorbic Acid/pharmacologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Heat treatments of dairy, including pasteurization and ultra-high temperature (UHT) processing, alter milk macromolecular structures, and ultimately affect digestion. In vitro, animal, and human studies show faster nutrient release or circulating appearance after consuming UHT milk (UHT-M) compared with pasteurized milk (PAST-M), with a faster gastric emptying (GE) rate proposed as a possible mechanism. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of milk heat treatment on GE as a mechanism of faster nutrient appearance in blood. We hypothesized that GE and circulating nutrient delivery following consumption would be faster for UHT-M than PAST-M. METHODS: In this double-blind randomized controlled cross-over trial, healthy female (n = 20; 27.3 ± 1.4 y, mean ± SD) habitual dairy consumers, consumed 500 mL of either homogenized bovine UHT-M or PAST-M (1340 compared with 1320 kJ). Gastric content volume (GCV) emptying half-time (T50) was assessed over 3 h by magnetic resonance imaging subjective digestive symptoms, plasma amino acid, lipid and B vitamin concentrations, and gastric myoelectrical activity were measured over 5 h. RESULTS: Although GCV T50 did not differ (102 ± 7 min compared with 89 ± 8 min, mean ± SEM, UHT-M and PAST-M, respectively; P = 0.051), GCV time to emptying 25% of the volume was 31% longer following UHT-M compared with PAST-M (42 ± 2 compared with 32 ± 4 min, P = 0.004). Although GCV remained larger for a longer duration following UHT-M (treatment × time interaction, P = 0.002), plasma essential amino acid AUC was greater following UHT-M than PAST-M (55,324 ± 3809 compared with 36,598 ± 5673 µmol·min·L-1, P = 0.006). Heat treatment did not impact gastric myoelectrical activity, plasma appetite hormone markers or subjective appetite scores. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to expectations, GE was slower with UHT-M, yet, as anticipated, aminoacidemia was greater. The larger GCV following UHT-M suggests that gastric volume may poorly predict circulating nutrient appearance from complex food matrices. Dairy heat treatment may be an effective tool to modify nutrient release by impacting digestion kinetics. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: www.anzctr.org.au (ACTRN12620000172909).
Subject(s)
Cross-Over Studies , Gastric Emptying , Hot Temperature , Milk , Pasteurization , Female , Animals , Humans , Milk/chemistry , Adult , Cattle , Double-Blind Method , Nutrients , Young AdultABSTRACT
Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) is found in common household and industrial products world-wide. Phthalates are not covalently bound to plastics and continuously leach into the soil, sediment and aquatic environments. The lateral line system of fish is a mechanosensory system composed of neuromasts essential for survival behaviors including rheotaxis, schooling and predator avoidance. Here, we investigated the developmental toxicity of BBP on the developing lateral line neuromasts in zebrafish. Embryos were treated at gastrula stage with BBP and analyzed by DASPEI staining at 4 days post fertilization. We find that BBP negatively affects neuromast development leading to loss of DASPEI signal in neuromasts in a concentration dependent manner.
Subject(s)
Embryonic Development , Phthalic Acids , Zebrafish , Animals , Phthalic Acids/toxicity , Zebrafish/embryology , Embryonic Development/drug effects , Embryo, Nonmammalian/drug effectsABSTRACT
This study investigated the effects of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HN001 supplementation on the architecture and gene expression in small intestinal tissues of piglets used as an animal model for infant humans. Twenty-four 10-d-old entire male piglets (4·3 (sd 0·59) kg body weight) were fed an infant formula (IF) (control) or IF supplemented with 1·3 × 105 (low dose) or 7·9 × 106 (high dose) colony-forming units HN001 per ml of reconstituted formula (n 8 piglets/treatment). After 24 d, piglets were euthanised. Samples were collected to analyse the histology and gene expression (RNAseq and qPCR) in the jejunal and ileal tissues, blood cytokine concentrations, and blood and faecal calprotectin concentrations. HN001 consumption altered (false discovery rate < 0·05) gene expression (RNAseq) in jejunal tissues but not in ileal tissues. The number of ileal goblet cells and crypt surface area increased quadratically (P < 0·05) as dietary HN001 levels increased, but no increase was observed in the jejunal tissues. Similarly, blood plasma concentrations of IL-10 and calprotectin increased linearly (P < 0·05) as dietary HN001 levels increased. In conclusion, supplementation of IF with HN001 affected the architecture and gene expression of small intestine tissue, blood cytokine concentration and frequencies, and blood calprotectin concentrations, indicating that HN001 modulated small intestinal tissue maturation and immunity in the piglet model.
Subject(s)
Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus , Probiotics , Humans , Infant , Animals , Male , Swine , Probiotics/therapeutic use , Dietary Supplements , Ileum , Cytokines/genetics , Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex , Gene ExpressionABSTRACT
Ruminants' milk is commonly used for supplying nutrients to infants when breast milk is unavailable or limited. Previous studies have highlighted the differences between ruminants' milk composition, digestion, absorption, and fermentation. However, whether consuming different ruminants' milk impact the appearance of the circulatory blood metabolites in the early postnatal life is not well understood. The analysis conducted here aimed to determine the effect of feeding exclusively whole milk from bovine, caprine or ovine species to pigs, approximately 7 days-old for 15 days, on circulatory blood plasma metabolites. Relative intensities of plasma metabolites were detected using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry based metabolomic approach. Seven polar and 83 non-polar (lipids) metabolites in plasma were significantly different (false discovery rate < 0.05) between milk treatments. These included polar metabolites involved in amino acid metabolism and lipids belonging to phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, and triglycerides. Compared to the caprine or bovine milk group, the relative intensities of polar metabolites and unsaturated triglycerides were higher in the peripheral circulation of the ovine milk group. In contrast, relative intensities of saturated triglycerides and phosphatidylcholine were higher in the bovine milk group compared to the ovine or caprine milk group. In addition, correlations were identified between amino acid and lipid intake and their appearance in peripheral blood circulation. The results highlighted that consuming different ruminants' milk influences the plasma appearance of metabolites, especially lipids, that may contribute to early postnatal life development in pigs.
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BACKGROUND: Vitamin B inadequacies and elevated homocysteine status have been associated with impaired cognitive and cardiometabolic health with aging. There is, however, a scarcity of research investigating integrated profiles of one-carbon (1C) metabolites in this context, including metabolites of interconnected folate, methionine, choline oxidation, and transsulfuration pathways. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to examine associations between vitamins B and 1C metabolites with cardiometabolic health and cognitive function in healthy older adults, including the interactive effects of Apolipoprotein E-ε4 status. METHODS: Three hundred and thirteen healthy participants (65-74 y, 65% female) were analyzed. Vitamins B were estimated according to dietary intake (4-d food records) and biochemical status (serum folate and vitamin B12). Fasting plasma 1C metabolites were quantified by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Measures of cardiometabolic health included biochemical (lipid panel, blood glucose) and anthropometric markers. Cognitive function was assessed by the Computerized Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Associations were analyzed using multivariate linear (COMPASS, cardiometabolic health) and Poisson (MoCA) regression modeling. RESULTS: Over 90% of participants met dietary recommendations for riboflavin and vitamins B6 and B12, but only 78% of males and 67% of females achieved adequate folate intakes. Higher serum folate and plasma betaine and glycine concentrations were associated with favorable cardiometabolic markers, whereas higher plasma choline and homocysteine concentrations were associated with greater cardiometabolic risk based on body mass index and serum lipids concentration values (P< 0.05). Vitamins B and homocysteine were not associated with cognitive performance in this cohort, though higher glycine concentrations were associated with better global cognitive performance (P = 0.017), episodic memory (P = 0.016), and spatial memory (P = 0.027) scores. Apolipoprotein E-ε4 status did not modify the relationship between vitamins B or 1C metabolites with cognitive function in linear regression analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin B and 1C metabolite profiles showed divergent associations with cardiometabolic risk markers and limited associations with cognitive performance in this cohort of healthy older adults.
Subject(s)
Cardiovascular Diseases , Vitamin B Complex , Male , Humans , Female , Aged , New Zealand , Folic Acid , Vitamin B 12 , Cognition , Choline/pharmacology , Glycine/pharmacology , Homocysteine , ApolipoproteinsABSTRACT
This study investigated whether heat treatments (raw, 63 °C for 30 min, and 85 °C for 5 min) affect protein hydrolysis by endogenous enzymes in the milk of ruminants (bovine, ovine, and caprine) using a self-digestion model. Self-digestion consisted of the incubation for six hours at 37 °C of the ruminants' milk. Free amino group concentration was measured by the o-phthaldialdehyde method, and peptide sequences were identified by chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results showed that heat treatments prior to self-digestion decreased the free NH2 by 59% in bovine milk heated at 85 °C/5 min, and by 44 and 53% in caprine milk heated at 63 °C/30 min and 85 °C/5 min, respectively. However, after self-digestion, only new free amino groups were observed for the raw and heated at 63 °C/30 min milk. ß-Casein was the most cleaved protein in the raw and heated at 63 °C/30 min bovine milk. A similar trend was observed in raw ovine and caprine milk. Self-digestion increased 6.8-fold the potential antithrombin peptides in the bovine milk heated at 63 °C/30 min. Enhancing bioactive peptide abundance through self-digestion has potential applications in the industry for functional products. Overall, heat treatments affected the free amino groups according to the species and heat treatment applied, which was reflected in the varying degrees of cleaved peptide bonds and peptides released during self-digestion.
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Background: The rate of stomach emptying of milk from different ruminant species differs, suggesting that the small intestinal digestibility of nutrients could also differ across these milk types. Objective: To determine the small intestinal amino acid (AA) digestibility of raw bovine, caprine, and ovine milk in the piglet as an animal model for the infant. Methods: Seven-day-old piglets (n = 12) consumed either bovine, caprine, or ovine milk diets for 15 days (n = 4 piglets/milk). On day 15, fasted piglets received a single meal of fresh raw milk normalized for protein content and containing the indigestible marker titanium dioxide. Entire gastrointestinal tract contents were collected at 210 min postprandially. Apparent AA digestibility (disappearance) in different regions of the small intestine was determined. Results: On average, 35% of the dietary AAs were apparently taken up in the small intestine during the first 210 min post-feeding, with 67% of the AA digestibility occurring in the first quarter (p ≤ 0.05) and 33% in the subsequent two quarters. Overall, except for isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine, the small intestinal apparent digestibility of all AAs at 210 min postprandially in piglets fed ovine milk was, on average, 29% higher (p ≤ 0.05) than for those fed bovine milk. Except for lysine, there was no difference in the apparent digestibility (p > 0.05) of any AAs between piglets fed caprine milk or ovine milk. The apparent digestibility of alanine was higher (p ≤ 0.05) in piglets fed caprine milk than those fed bovine milk. When apparent digestibility was corrected for gastric AA retention, only small differences in the small intestinal apparent digestibility of AAs were observed across milk types. Conclusion: Bovine, caprine and ovine milk had different apparent small intestinal AA digestibility at 210 min postprandially. When corrected for gastric AA retention, the differences in apparent digestibility across species largely disappeared. The apparent AA digestibility differed across small intestinal locations.
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Quercetin, a polyphenol antioxidant, is widely distributed in food in the form of glycoside rutin, which is not readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. The microbiota of the colon is known to biotransform rutin, generating quercetin aglycones that can be absorbed. We investigated the role of the ileal and colonic microbiota in rutin biotransformation using established in vitro fermentation models. Overall, a higher rate of rutin biotransformation was observed during colonic fermentation compared with ileal fermentation. The colonic microbiome showed higher potential for rutin conversion to quercetin through an increased abundance of α-rhamnosidase- and ß-glucosidase-encoding genes compared to the ileal microbiome. Nonetheless, rutin metabolism occurred rapidly during ileal fermentation (â¼20% rutin disappearance after 1 h). The appearance of quercetin varied depending on the ileal inoculum and correlated with an increased abundance of Firmicutes, suggesting that quercetin absorption could be improved via modulation of the ileal microbiota.
Subject(s)
Quercetin , Rutin , Swine , Animals , Rutin/metabolism , Quercetin/metabolism , Fermentation , Colon/metabolism , BiotransformationABSTRACT
The relationship between the microbiota profile and exposure to stress is not well understood. Therefore, we used a rat model of unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) to investigate this relationship. Depressive-like behaviors were measured in Female Sprague Dawley rats using the sucrose preference test and the Porsolt swim test. Anxiety-like behaviors were measured with the light-dark box test. Fecal corticosterone, cecal microbiota (composition and organic acids), plasma gut permeability (lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, LBP) and plasma inflammation (12 cytokines) markers were measured. Atypical behaviors were observed in female rats following UCMS, but no depressive-like behaviors were observed. Circulating concentrations of cytokines granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant 1 were higher in UCMS-exposed female rats; plasma LBP and cecal organic acid levels remained unchanged. Our results reflect a resilient and adaptive phenotype for female SD rats. The relative abundance of taxa from the Clostridiales order and Desulfovibrionaceae family did, however, correlate both positively and negatively with anxiety-like behaviors and plasma cytokine concentrations, regardless of UCMS exposure, supporting the brain-to-gut influence of mild anxiety with a microbiota profile that may involve inflammatory pathways.
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This study investigated the effect of heating (63°C/30 min or 75°C/15 s) and drying (spray-drying or freeze-drying) on plasmin, cathepsin D, and elastase activities in bovine, ovine, and caprine milk, compared to non-dried raw milk counterparts. Protease activities and protein hydrolysis were assessed before and after in vitro infant digestion with or without gastric and pancreatic enzymes. At 75°C/15 s, plasmin activity in caprine and ovine milk decreased (69-75%, p<0.05), while cathepsin D activity in spray-dried bovine milk heated increased (2.8-fold, p<0.05). Plasmin and cathepsin D activities increased (<1.2-fold, p<0.05) after in vitro digestion with pancreatin, regardless of milk species. Endogenous milk enzymes hydrolyzed more proteins than gastric enzymes during gastric digestion and contributed to small intestinal digestion. In summary, milk proteases remained active after processing with effects dependent on the species of milk, and they contributed to in vitro protein hydrolysis in the stomach and small intestine.